Creating a Successful FHE!

Thanks so much to Lori and Jamie for such amazing ideas for FHE.  The spirit was there testifying how important it is to have FHE with our families!  It is hard to sum up all the great things that were said but here are just a few notes from the meeting that we all can ponder.

~CONSISTENCY!!!  Even when it is hard to settle wiggly toddlers or motivate teenagers with attitudes, it is WORTH IT in the end to have consistency!  They may not remember all the lessons but they will remember that FHE was important enough to have every week.

~PRAYER!!! When our children are young we know everything that they see and hear and struggle with because we are with them all day long.  As they grow older and are out of the house for a majority of the day with school and sports and other activities we no longer know the things they hear or see or the temptations or problems that they struggle with.  The only person who knows our children completely and wholly is our Heavenly Father.  We need to pray for His guidance to know what we need to teach our children that will help them through their struggles.  We might not know why we need to teach a lesson on pornography, or the Word of Wisdom, or the law of chastity,  but Heavenly Father does.  PRAY for His guidance!

~"Be believing.  Keep loving.  Keep testifying.  Keep praying.  Those prayers will be heard and answered in the most unexpected hour.  God will send aid to no one more readily then He will send it to a child-and to a parent of a child." Jeffery R Holland

~Apply lessons to your children's interests.  Jamie applied a lesson to their favorite football team BYU and how Hall had to depend on his teammate Pita in the game.  She then related it to Heavenly Father and if He can trust and depend on us in the game of life. Can He trust us to be their for Him?  What happens when we are not and let Him and our team down?   Lisa related how they took the kids rock climbing and then talked about how it could be applied spiritually in their lives.  The climb is hard and strenuous, what does the rope represent?  How do you feel when you reach your goal even when it was hard to get there?  These are fun easy FHE's but their kids REMEMBERED the messages because they catered to their interests.

~Purchase the WHY and HOW books.  The WHY answers question for children and teens on WHY we should follow the commandments, WHY we should keep the Word of Wisdom, WHY we don't date till we are sixteen.  The HOW books explain how do you repent after you've done something wrong, HOW do you prepare for a mission, etc.  They relate great to preteens and teens and they love flipping through them!

~Go outside for FHE.  You don't have to stay inside for your lesson when the weather is great!

~Take a Monday out of each month to learn about a different apostle or prophet.  Then quiz the kids on them and reward them with candy!  You can put up a photo of each apostle you learn about till you have them all up.

~Work in the yard together

~TESTIFY.  Always testify and share your testimony with your children!         

Mormon Messages

Here are a couple mormon messgaes that Lori and Jamie shared with us.  There are so many Mormon Messages on You Tube that can be great FHE lessons!  Just go to You Tube and type in Mormon Messages for a list of all of them!

FHE for Empty Nesters!

You can do anything!  All the things you wanted to do "without the kids" can now be done.  It's probably a good idea to plan out things you want to do.  Make a schedule if necessary.  Here are just a few ideas:

Spiritual

~Have FHE with your extended family.  Make sure they hear your testimony on a regular basis.
~Study Sunday School, Priesthood and Relief Society lessons in depth.
~Pick a hymn out of the hymnbook that you do not know.  Study the words, listen to it online(www.lds.org/churchmusic), and read the scripturesthat go with it.
~Write testimonies in Book of Mormon for missionaries to distribute.
~Work on geneology and family history.  Your own personal history to pass along to your children or grandchildren so they can know personal stories of you, your parents and grandparents.

Have Fun!

Go for a walk.  Go to the movies. Go on a picnic.  Play a game.  Do an exercise video. Go to the BYU museum or Temple Square.

Social

~Invite another family in the neighborhood to join you for dinner and FHE.
~Make cookies and deliver them as "The FHE Phantom".
~Take a dance class.

Service

~Weed the yard/garden for someone who is out of town.
~Do indexing or any other family history work.

You could set up a schedule
1st Monday=Spiritual
2nd Monday=Social
3rd Monday=Service
4th Monday=Fun
5th Sunday=Choose your favorite activity